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// UK retailers built up stocks to record highs in anticipation of Brexit, says the CBI
// Stock levels in relation to expected sales were at their highest level since the survey began in 1983
// Retail sales in the year to October fell for the 6th month in a row, but the pace of decline slowed
UK retailers’ stock levels were at their highest level on record in October ahead of the Brexit deadline, according new data.
Figures from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) yesterday showed that stock levels in relation to expected sales were at their highest level this month since the survey began in 1983.
The CBI said the combination of the proximity to Christmas and ongoing Brexit uncertainty is likely to have driven stocks higher, particularly with retailers stocking seasonal products earlier than usual.
The UK had expected to leave the EU at the end of this month, but EU members agreed on Monday to grant a three-month extension, meaning it was now set to leave at the end of January next year.
- CBI & FSB join BRC in warning over no-deal Brexit
- BRC: It’s “impossible” for retail to mitigate Brexit no-deal disruption
- Next to cut prices in event of no-deal Brexit as half-year sales & profit rise
Meanwhile, retail sales in the year to October fell for the sixth month in a row – although the pace of decline slowed.
The balance of retailers reporting year-on-year growth in sales volumes rose to -10 from -16 the month before, and versus expectations of -20.
“Retailers have now endured six months of falling sales, the longest period of decline since the financial crisis,” CBI deputy chief economist Anna Leach said.
“The sector is struggling with ongoing digital disruption, layered on top of cost pressures from a weak pound and the cumulative burden of an outdated business rates regime.
“Retailers have also had to contend with the looming Brexit deadline, which has partly driven a record spike in stocks.
“The timing could not be worse: the run-up to Christmas is a crucial time of year for the retail sector, and not knowing where we will be on November 1 is adding more strain to an already beleaguered sector.”


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In “Chinese Whispers,” we share the biggest news stories about the luxury industry in China that haven’t yet made it into the English language.
In this week’s edition, we discuss:
- Chanel‘s upcoming WeChat-powered exhibition in Shanghai,
- Fosun‘s potential buyout of a German apparel brand, and
- Alibaba’s luxury business expansion in 2018.
French luxury powerhouse Chanel is about to showcase its renowned art exhibition “Mademoiselle Privé” at West Bund Artistic Center in Shanghai on April 20.
The show, which was previously on display in London, Seoul and Hong Kong, will present Chanel’s signature designs from the famed founding designer Gabrielle Chanel to the current creative director Karl Lagerfeld. This includes Lagerfeld’s haute couture collection, N°5 fragrance from 1921, and the one and only jewelry design by Gabrielle Chanel “Bijoux de Diamants.”
Bruno Pavlovsky, president of fashion at Chanel, told the press that the brand will accommodate to the digital habits of Chinese consumers by using WeChat to provide a consistent “online-to-offline” viewing experience.
2. Chinese conglomerate Fosun is close to a buyout of German fashion brand Tom Tailor – QDaily
This week, the European Commission greenlighted Chinese company Fosun’s request to raise its stake to 100 percent in Tom Tailor, a German fashion and lifestyle brand. In 2014, Fosun acquired a 23.16 percent stake in Tom Tailor through its subsidiary Fidelidade-Companhia de Seguros, the largest Portuguese insurance firm. After that, it planned to support the brand’s expansion into the Chinese market.
Founded in 1962, Tom Tailor Group currently owns two fast fashion labels Tom Tailor and Bonita. On January 30, Tom Tailor issued a statement saying they would consider a complete buyout possibility by Fosun. Details of the potential deal have not been disclosed.
3. Alibaba courted 35 luxury brands to open flagship stores on its platform in 2018 – Ebrun
Alibaba recently revealed that they succeeded in recruiting 35 luxury brands to do business on their platforms in 2018, marking huge progress in the company’s expansion into the luxury retail arena. In the third quarter of 2019 (quarter ending December 31, 2018) alone, high-end luxury brands like Valentino, Ermenegildo Zegna, Bottega Veneta, and Sergio Rossi launched stores on Alibaba’s B2C Tmall platform.

domain: news


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Ultra recently revealed the first video of their closed beta in which they feature the store front and the full process to buy a game on their platform as a new user. Ultra is a next-generation games distribution platform based on EOSIO, offering new solutions to both developers and players.
In the video they presented an early version of the software, so it might be a little bit different from the soon to be released open beta.
"All accounts on Ultra platform is an Ultra blockchain account that is created automatically and all games on Ultra are tokens! It will have its importance when we will launch our ecosystem.."
Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1vHDkIUUr8


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Subway is launching its vegan meatball marinara sub sandwich across its UK stores today.
The Meatless Meatball Marinara features plant-based meatballs in tomato sauce, topped with melted vegan cheese.
The chain trialed the sandwich in a number of UK stores last year. The full roll-out coincides with this year’s Veganuary.
“We’re always shaking up our menu at Subway as we are constantly innovating. Our guests wanted a meatless version of our iconic Sub, so we made it for them,” said Colin Hughes, country director Subway UK and Ireland.
“The Meatless Meatball Marinara is equally as delicious as the original, and a tempting choice for all our guests, whether they are looking for a plant-based alternative, or simply want to enjoy something a little different.”


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By James Holbrooks via The Anti-Media
Shattering the stereotype of the lazy pothead, new research suggests cannabis users are actually more satisfied, more successful, and even more likely to volunteer in their communities than their nonsmoking counterparts.
Last week, the Independent described to its readers how the research was carried out:
“The study, conducted by market researchers BDS Analytics, surveyed consumers and abstainers across a wide variety of mental, social and financial factors. These included life satisfaction levels, attitudes towards parenting and employment data.
“The survey analysed extensive data from two US states that have voted to legalise the sale of cannabis — California and Colorado.”
Researchers found a similar situation in Colorado, where 64 percent of cannabis users have full-time jobs versus 54 percent of abstainers. Given those numbers, perhaps it’s not surprising that weed consumers in the state generally feel better about their personal lives than non-smokers.
Marijuana consumption is also associated with healthier habits and a more active social life, researchers for BDS Analytics found. In Colorado, for instance, 36 percent of smokers described themselves as “very social people,” compared to 28 percent for those who avoid the plant. Additionally, in both Colorado and California, those who consume cannabis enjoy outdoor recreation at significantly higher rates.
Perhaps the most surprising discovery, however — given the cliched image of the slacker on the couch eating Cheetos and watching reruns of Family Guy — is that users tend to be more generous with their time. Nearly 40 percent of California’s weed enthusiasts volunteer in their communities, researchers found, whereas only 25 percent of abstainers have decided to do the same.
In a press release, head of consumer research for BDS, Linda Gilbert, says all these data points lead to a very real and increasingly apparent conclusion:
“Cannabis consumers are far removed from the caricatures historically used to describe them.”
Image Credit: Cannabis Culture/Flickr


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Locally owned businesses need community support
The challenges of the coronavirus have hit hard for many people, with health of course being the overriding concern. Businesses too have suffered significant hardship from extended closures or from limited traffic due to customers’ concerns over the coronavirus. While there’s good reason for a hopeful future, it’s still very difficult for many business owners at present.
Walker Furniture is a locally owned business whose history of 80 years in the community offers hope to others for weathering difficult times. In fact, the beginnings of the business were rooted in the Great Depression. The family moved to Gainesville from south Georgia after Ledger Walker’s family’s farming was harmed by the Great Depression.
Ledger wanted son Benny to pursue an education and came to Gainesville because of the University of Florida. In 1940, Mr. Walker opened Walker Furniture and joined the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce as well. The Walker family has persevered through some difficult times, including the current pandemic, and several generations of the family have operated the business since its founding.
Benny has said that his father built the business on the concept of growth rooted in customer care. When Benny bought the business from his father in the 1970s, he continued to build what now is among the region’s longest-running businesses.
Ledger Walker’s granddaughter, Mary Kate, provides the following insight about how the business made it through the ongoing pandemic in recent months, which included being shut down for a period of time for the first time ever. As she explains, there is a silver lining to be found in the pandemic cloud.
“We’ve had amazing community support even while we were temporarily closed,” she said. “We’ve built up customer loyalty over many years of serving the community and creating relationships and serving generations of customers. It was heartening when people told us they would wait until we reopened to buy furniture. A big step that we took while we were closed, that other businesses can replicate, is that we never stopped working to achieve important company goals.”
Indeed, there’s always work to be done and some of it is easier to complete during a shutdown or slowdown. This includes making physical improvements, creating new/innovative marketing plans or re-imagining customer relationship management.
According to the National Business Research Institute, locally owned businesses can teach important lessons to larger businesses, including fundamentals like establishing relationships on a first-name basis. The Institute also notes that businesses must be able to evaluate customer purchases/satisfaction and make necessary adjustments to build the strongest possible customer relationships.
At Celebration Pointe, we’ve made a push to attract and support the next generation of locally owned, Gainesville-area businesses, and the development is locally owned as well. There are 12 locally owned businesses either already open or planning to open at Celebration Pointe.
While we also host nationally known stores and restaurants, we recognize that locally owned businesses are very important to communities as the example of Walker Furniture example demonstrates. They often build a deep emotional connection and legacy that can span generations of local customers. These businesses are also extremely important for bolstering jobs.
A great and recent example of how local ownership can truly make a difference in community legacy is Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille, coming to Celebration Pointe. Steve Spurrier’s illustrious football career is well known and greatly appreciated in the region, as is the man himself. This includes his years as a College Football Hall of Fame coach and as a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at UF.
In addition to his many achievements, Coach Spurrier has built many strong relationships within the community and is a beloved representative of the region. Through his high visibility in the area, it’s likely that he will inspire others to pursue their dreams, including becoming local business owners.
Leslie Payne is director of marketing for Celebration Pointe.


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The deal between emcredit, a subsidiary of the Dubai Department of Economic Development, blockchain payment provider Pundi X, and its partner Ebooc Fintech & Loyalty Labs LLC will facilitate point of sale (PoS) payments in emcredit’s emcash currency.
Ebooc will provide PoS terminals for in-store payments, while Pundi X plans to roll out 100,000 units globally over the next three years, the press release notes.
Emcash is pegged to the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s fiat currency, the dirham.
“We […] envisage consumers in Dubai being able to make real time payments using Dubai's digital currency for all their payment needs for shopping, paying for [g]overnment fees etc,” Abdalla Al Shamsi, CEO DFP and co-founder of Ebooc commented in the press release.
Dubai continues to position itself as a blockchain innovator at state level, with multiple schemes ongoing as part of its goal of becoming a fully blockchain-powered city by 2020.
Plans to roll out emcash first surfaced in September last year, Cointelegraph reported, with full details of the payment network to follow later this financial year.
Pundi X, meanwhile, became the focus of unwanted attention in June after hackers stole 2.6 billion of its NPXS tokens from South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinrail. In July, Bancor announced a security breach resulting in the loss of another 300,000 Pundi X tokens.


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In a sellers’ market, some homeowners might be tempted to try to sell their house on their own (known as For Sale By Owner, or FSBO) instead of working with a trusted real estate professional. When the inventory of homes for sale is as low as it is today, buyers are eager to snatch up […]Read More
There are a lot of misconceptions about buying or selling a home today, making it challenging to know exactly how to navigate the current real estate landscape.
Here’s a little clarity when it comes to 5 common myths about the 2021 h…
When thinking about selling, homeowners often feel they need to get their house ready with some remodeling to make it more appealing to buyers. However, with so many buyers competing for available homes right now, renovations may not be as vital as they would be in a more normal market. Here are two things to […]Read More
When selling a house, most homeowners hope for a quick and profitable transaction that puts them in a position to make a great move. If you’re waiting for the best time to win as a seller, the market is calling your name this spring. Here are five reasons why this is the perfect time to […]Read More
Last year, many homeowners thought twice about selling their houses due to the onset of the health crisis. This year, however, homeowners are beginning to regain their confidence when it comes to selling safely. The latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) by Fannie Mae shows that 57% of consumers believe now is a good time […]Read More


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The production team of KBS's '1 Night, 2 Days' received an appreciation plaque from Yu In-chon, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST).
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that Minister Yu In-chon had awarded an appreciation plaque to the production team of '1 Night, 2 Days' for their contribution to promoting the Korean tourism industry, before the briefing session on tourism industry projects held in the afternoon of January 4 at the Korea Tourism Organization.
It is very exceptional for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which is in charge of culture, sports, tourism and the media, to award a plaque to a specific television program for its contribution to promoting an industry that is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism explained its reasons for awarding the plaque to '1 Night, 2 Days' in a press release - distributed prior to the briefing session - which read, "'1 Night, 2 Days' helped to promote the Korean tourism industry by introducing many of Korea's little known tourism resources to a wider public".
Deputy director Kim Hyeon-jun of the Tourism Policy Division said, on January 4th, "We do not make a habit of awarding plaques to television programs each year. That's why this is a very exceptional case".
However, questions have been raised as to whether television programs that introduce restaurants known to serve excellent cuisine should be awarded appreciation plaques for their contribution to promoting the Korean food industry.
And it has been pointed out that government organizations should be more careful when awarding appreciation plaques to specific television programs.
Deputy director Kim replied, "Though it may look different to each person, not one single television program has ever had such a great impact".
Kim also presented evidence that the number of tourists and local products sold had increased after the introduction of a specific area on '1 Night, 2 Days'.
What was suggested in the evidence, however, was entirely indirect and was what the media already covered:, , , . KBS announced that Happy Sunday – 1 Night, 2 Days, aired on January 3, recorded an average program rating of 40.5% and that it had set a record in achieving an average program rating of 30% for eighteen consecutive weeks.


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Apple has officially released the stable version of the latest iOS 14 software
Apple has officially released the stable version of the latest iOS 14 software for everyone including Indian users.
ios 14, ios 14 compatible iphones, ipados 14, ipados 14 compatible ipads, ios 14 release date, ios 14 features, ipados 14 features
iOS 14 will be compatible with all iPhone models that are running last year's iOS 13 update.
Unlike past years, Apple decided to release its latest iOS version before announcing the new iPhones this year. Apple has officially released the stable version of the latest iOS 14 software for everyone including Indian users. The company was out with the beta version soon after it announced the iOS version during WWDC in June. The latest iOS 14 is now available for all compatible iPhones including some of the old ones like iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, among others.
Has your iPhone not received iOS 14 yet? Check the list of all iPhones that are compatible with iOS 14 and how you can upgrade it.
These iPhones will get iOS 14
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone XS Max
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7 Plus
iPhone 6s Plus
How to update your iPhone to iOS 14
1. First, back up all your data and charge your iPhone.
2. You must also ensure to finish all your important work and not use the iPhone during the installation process. This will speed up the download.
3. iOS 14 is a big update. So, ensure to connect your iPhone to a stable WiFi connection.
4. After these steps, head over to the Settings menu
5. Scroll down to General option
6. Head to the Software update option next to install iOS 14 on your iPhone.
Note, the iOS 14 installation update will take some time. So, you must be patient. Otherwise, just update the iOS 14 at night before going to bed.
How to download iPadOS 14 and watchOS 7
iOS 14 key features
Apple has brought some sweeping modifications in widgets with its new iOS version. Redesigned widgets with data-rich enhancements provide utility in different activities. From weather widgets to music and from clock widgets to podcasts, they come revamped shapes and sizes that can be transformed in a stack of up to 10. Smart stack offers a suggestion regarding the usage of widgets on the basis of time while Siri tracks a different usage-based pattern of widgets to offer a suggestion in performing functions without opening the apps.
Apple has added this feature which enables apps to sort out automatically and get added into different app libraries based on their genres. These libraries will be present at the bottom of the home screen while they will also provide the tag of recently downloaded or added. They will also have a search bar and alphabetical arrangement of the apps along with intelligence evoked suggestions on usage of those apps on the basis of time, location and activity.
From now onwards, Apple users will need not use Google translator as iOS 14 is bringing with itself an in-built Apple translate app. This works in landscape mode while the screen will be split to show translate results and can also provide smooth translation in offline-mode with downloaded languages. The most innovative feature is of Voice translation which will enable the voice to be translated online into chosen languages. Translate currently supports only 11 languages including Mandarin, Spanish, French among others.
iOS 14 also enables a pinned conversation feature where one can pin favourite messages to get back to them later. It allows at most nine pinned messages on top of the app which can be synced across all Apple devices. Direct reply feature in a group conversation while tagging an individual will make chit-chats more engaging. This will also enable the customization feature of the group so as to receive messages only when the name gets mentioned.
Phone-calls and face-calls will now appear in banners instead of occupying the whole screen, which will leave a lot of room for other activities to be performed while attending a call. The picture-in-Picture function will now enable one to attend a face-call while watching a video or simply listen to the audio by dragging it offscreen. It can easily be resized and can be dragged to any corner of the screen.
PostedOn: 17 Sep 2020 Total Views: 1081


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The time change this weekend will impact alcohol sales in Lexington.
The change to Eastern Standard Time begins Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 2:00 a.m., which will effectively make the official time 1:00 a.m.
The selling or delivery of distilled spirits, wine and malt beverages shall continue in Lexington until 2:30 a.m., according to the Lexington Division of Police Alcoholic Beverage Control Office.
The 30-minute grace period for consumption of alcoholic beverages purchased prior to 2:30 a.m. still applies, according to police.
Lexington RCO 3-21 states, "the selling, giving away, or delivering of distilled spirits, wine and malt beverages shall not be permitted after 2:30 a.m."


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From The Bookseller:
Hachette UK’s revenues were down 6.7% in the third quarter of 2018, due to a lighter release schedule and decline in sales in its education segment, its parent company Lagardere has reported. The fall in sales in the UK has been attributed “mainly” to an absence of curriculum reform, which also affected France and Spain’s performance.
David Shelley, Hachette UK’s c.e.o., conceded overall the third quarter had “fewer major releases for HUK”, but pointed to “some unexpected bestsellers and strong backlist and e-book sales”. He also said Hodder Education’s results “tracked the market, which was muted in September due to distance from the last curriculum change”.
The dip is comparably better than it was in the third quarter of 2017, when sales dropped 13.5% following the success of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Little, Brown) the previous year.
. . . .
Of the publisher’s performance in third quarter 2018, Shelley commented that digital publisher Bookouture had enjoyed “a very good summer with sales in the UK up year on year and significant growth coming from the UK and Australia” while John Murray Press enjoyed its second best ever month in August.
Link to the rest at The Bookseller


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September 22, 2014 by Robert Gonzales
Apttus today announced that it is a sponsor of Salesforce ExactTarget Marketing Cloud Connections 2014, the industry’s premier digital marketing conference. The conference will be held in Indianapolis Sept. 23-25.
Comments on the News
• “We’re thrilled to work directly with the ExactTarget team at Connections 2014,” said Kamal Ahluwalia, chief marketing officer at Apttus. “Highlighting our E-Commerce solution alongside the event’s exciting slate of news is essential to demonstrating the world-class effectiveness and results that are associated with the Apttus brand.”
• “Connections inspires the future of digital marketing, and our sponsors make that possible,” said Woodson Martin, chief marketing officer of ExactTarget Marketing Cloud. “With Apttus’ support, we’re able to provide attendees actionable insights on how digital marketing is transforming business through email, mobile, social and the Web.”
About Connections 2014
Connections 2014 offers digital marketers from around the world access to renowned speakers, including Nick Besbeas, vice president of marketing, LinkedIn; Charles Best, CEO, DonorsChoose.org; and will.i.am, entrepreneur, musician and philanthropist, and more than 75 breakout sessions. Connections is designed to transform companies’ customer interactions into brand experiences. Marketers will experience inspiration, education, and entertainment, for a journey unlike any other.
Connections follows ExactTarget Marketing Cloud Connections ‘13, an event that welcomed marketers from around the globe to Indianapolis and featured former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, biographer Walter Isaacson, author Jim Collins and the first-ever private music festival with Avett Brothers, Imagine Dragons and DJ Casey Connor.
For updates on Connections, follow @ExactTarget and the hashtag #CNX14 and on Twitter.
ExactTarget, Connections and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc.
Apttus, the category-defining Quote-to-Cash software company, drives the vital business process between the buyer’s interest in a purchase and the realization of revenue. Apttus is delivered on the Salesforce1 Platform, the world’s most trusted and comprehensive cloud delivery infrastructure. Applications include Configure Price Quote (CPQ), Renewals, Contract Management and Revenue Management. Additionally, Apttus’ patent pending X-Author technology enables Microsoft Office to be a user-interface with full interaction and control between Salesforce and Microsoft Office. Apttus is based in San Mateo, California, with additional offices in London, UK, Bozeman, Montana and Ahmedabad, India. For more information visit: apttus.wpengine.com.


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Toyota May Be Developing a Solar Powered Prius for Production
When Toyota introduced the Prius, it quickly became one of the most highly preferred hybrids available. However, as more and more companies developed their own hybrid vehicles, the popularity of the Prius began to slip. In an attempt the regain their dominance in the alternative energy realm, Toyota has secretly been developing a solar powered vehicle they hope will see mass production.
The news of this development originated from a Japanese Business paper called the Nikkei. According to their sources, the system will use solar panels mounted on the vehicles, as well as a solar array mounted on the owner's home. Between the two charging systems, the vehicle should be able to take care of a daily commute without an issue.
The Prius is the most likely candidate for the addition of solar power, seeing as there are already a handful of companies that will engineer a solar array onto your Prius for extended range. There is also an aftermarket kit you can purchase that will charge the second-generation Prius enough to run a 20 mile commute.
As far as time in concerned, those same sources also let out that it will be years before any such plans are put into full swing if it does make it into production.Motor Authority


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National 7-Eleven Franchisee Coalition Questions Benefits of Coffee Promo
SAN ANTONIO — The National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees (NCASEF) is questioning 7-Eleven Inc. (SEI) about the benefits of the retailer's aggressive promotion of its low-priced coffee or other specials offered through its mobile app.
In the contract they sign with SEI, franchise owners are granted control over the pricing in their stores. But, mobile technology has different rules, and NCASEF believes franchisees are largely being bypassed when decisions about the cost of digital promotions are made, the association stated.
"7-Eleven's franchisee council, the NBLC, is told in advance about digital promotions, but they are not an elected body and have no independence from the brand to push back," said Jay Singh, NCASEF chairman and a Texas franchise owner. "Our association represents the interests of all franchisees and should be included in the discussion about how promotional items are priced through the app and how money from the ad fund is being allocated."
According to NCASEF, unlike product promotions that are mostly paid for by vendors, $1 coffee and 49 cent Slurpees are considered "proprietary promotions," by which franchisees are responsible for the costs. Only customers that have downloaded the 7Rewards app qualify for low-priced beverages, and franchisees say the digital promotions do not draw new customers to their stores like traditional advertising does.
In a statement, 7-Eleven said that coffee customers are critical to the company's success, and that $1 coffee is a limited-time promotion that many of its key competitors offer to their loyalty members. "Franchisees see eight more customers per store each day thanks to the 7Rewards loyalty program," the company told Convenience Store News.
According to the release from NCASEF, SEI is in the midst of an aggressive growth strategy, with a goal to have 20,000 U.S. stores by 2027. The company has also been investing heavily in technology and recently announced it has signed up 25 million loyalty members. At the same time, SEI under-spent its 2018 advertising budget by $4.9 million.
"We are concerned that 7-Eleven is relying on digital promotions at the expense of traditional advertising and marketing that is proven to drive business to our stores," said NCASEF Executive Vice Chairman Michael Jorgensen, a Florida franchisee. "The high-level numbers the company provides us do not offer a transparent view into how our ad money is being spent. Most other franchisors include elected franchisees in decisions involving the money they contribute to their national ad fund. It's time 7-Eleven did the same."
Based in San Antonio, NCASEF is an elected, independent body representing more than 7,000 7-Eleven franchised locations in the United States.
Based in Irving, 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 69,000 stores in 17 countries, including 11,800 in North America. 7-Eleven ranked No. 1 in the 2019 Convenience Store News Top 100 report.


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World Bank data shows the value of Chinese exports has almost tripled over the past 10 years. And there is strong evidence the country's export riches will be enjoyed for some time yet.
China exported $2.3 trillion worth of products to 209 trading partners in 2015, according to the World Bank, up from $1.9 trillion just four years earlier.
As the government works to establish more consumer-led growth, this robust export engine is providing valuable support to an economy still expanding at 6.9%.
Source: World Bank, World Integrated Trade Solution, as of 2015
Why the export boom is likely to continue
There are two key reasons China's export boom can be sustained: scale and investment.
China's exports are dominated by manufactured products, which accounted for 94% of all exports in 2015, according to the World Trade Organization. Office machines, telecommunications equipment, clothing, and textiles are the country's top exports.
The sheer scale of the manufacturing sector required to fulfill this demand would be incredibly difficult and costly for competitors to replicate in a short period of time. This affords the country a big competitive advantage.
In addition to this scale and strong demand for Chinese products, the country's manufacturing sector also benefits from significant funding.
China is one of the largest recipients of foreign direct investment in the world, according to the World Trade Organization, receiving US$120 billion in 2014. And the manufacturing sector accounted for 33% of this total.
The advantages of massive scale, strong international demand, and this continued foreign investment are what underpin China's export strength — and are likely to do so for some time yet.
Investors attracted to a robust trade story might consider taking a closer look at this major global player.
This post is sponsored by iShares® by BlackRock®.
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Destiny 2 Patch Kills Cross-Play After It Went Live Earlier Than Intended
Update 184.108.40.206's patch notes are here, and they make good on Bungie's promise to temporarily disable cross-play.
After it was mistakenly introduced as part of an update earlier this week, Destiny 2's cross-play feature has been disabled. Bungie officially rolled out a new update, 220.127.116.11, and the patch notes outline only two things, one of which is the removal of cross-play.
Coinciding with a maintenance period that booted players from the game, Bungie has launched the new hotfix on all platforms. In addition to disabling cross-play, the patch should fix an issue where players would crash while signing in.
Although the feature is known to be coming later this year, several players took to Twitter on Tuesday to claim that it had gone live as part of the Season of the Splicer update. One fan asked for confirmation, which received a response from lead community manager Cozmo. They stated that cross-play went up early by mistake, and that a fix would be coming later in the week that would disable it again. Players were told they could try the feature but that it was "not representative of the full experience."
Bungie did not specify when to expect a final release of the feature. It has previously stated that cross-play would be coming in Season 15, which is set to arrive sometime in August.
While the cross-play bug was a pleasant discovery, there are other issues impacting the game. Bungie has warned players about a problem with accepting a Synthstrand package from Ada-1 when your Consumables inventory is full. Doing so will cause the package to be lost, you should ensure you have room before accepting it from Ada.
Season 14, aka the Season of the Splicer, is now live. The new season introduces big changes to the transmog system, along with reworks to the PvP ranks, rebalancing for the stasis subclasses, and lots of other changes.
DESTINY 2 HOTFIX 18.104.22.168 PATCH NOTES
- Fixed an issue that was causing some players to crash when signing in.
- Fixed an issue where some players were able to access Cross Play early.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.


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"We are pleased with our progress this quarter despite a challenging environment,” said Dick Giromini, president and chief executive officer. “The performance of our manufacturing organization, complemented by our aggressive strategic sourcing and pricing initiatives, has allowed us to achieve our best gross margin percentage since the first quarter of 2006. While the continued weak freight environment constrained new trailer sales to 12,500 units for the quarter, it represents a 14% increase from the prior quarter.
"As truck transportation companies continue to face macro-economic and industry related headwinds, we anticipate total new trailer sales for the year to be approximately 48,000 units of which approximately 90% are already booked. We are taking the necessary measures to optimize our business during this soft period, including a hiring freeze, staff cutbacks and spending restrictions. We believe we are well into the trough of the cycle, and expect to see improving order rates in the second half of 2008."
Wabash reported net income of $5.9 million, or $0.18 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2007 on net sales of $294.8 million. For the same quarter last year, the company reported net income of $5 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, on revenue of $333.6 million.
For the six months ended June 30, 2007, net income totaled $6.9 million, or $0.22 per diluted share on sales of $553.7 million. In the comparable period of 2006, the company reported net income of $9.4 million or $0.29 per diluted share on sales of $595.7 million.


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Australia's Lynas Rare Earths Ltd on Monday reported record revenue in its fourth quarter, as demand for the metals it mines that are used in electric vehicles, smartphones and military equipment spurred prices higher.
Relaxed coronavirus curbs, coupled with booming demand for electric vehicles amid a global push to reduce carbon emissions, have helped the rare earths market bounce back from last year's drop and led to a surge in prices.
"Demand for Lynas products, in particular for our NdPr product family, continued to be very strong through the quarter, leading to record sales and cash collection," Chief Executive Officer Amanda Lacaze (pic above) said.
Lynas, the world's largest producer of rare earths outside China, said revenue rose to A$185.9 million ($136.97 million) in the three months to June 30 from A$38 million a year earlier.
It said its full product range garnered an average selling price of A$39.1/kg during the June quarter, up from A$20.2/kg last year. ($1 = 1.3576 Australian dollars)


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The modern gentleman. This species seems to be nearing endangerment as men of virtue, morals, and charisma are getting harder to find. But the vodka brand Ketel One teamed up with the men's magazine GQ on a quest to find the ultimate modern gentleman. The duo began a nationwide competition called "A Gentleman's Call: In Pursuit of an Idea That Matters."
The competition is an effort to search for a gentleman with an original idea to invest in. The idea will champion the lifestyle of the modern gentlemen, highlighting values of entrepreneurship, creativity, philanthropy, and innovation.
The contest closes on July 29. Once it closes, five projects best showing a high standard of thinking and living will be selected.
Consumers will then be able to vote on the ideas to determine who the grand prize winner will be. The lucky winner gets $100,000 to turn the idea into a reality.
“Ketel One Vodka was founded through the passion and drive ignited only from entrepreneurial spirit,” says Carl Nolet Jr., executive vice president of Nolet Spirits USA, which manages Ketel One.
Through 'A Gentleman’s Call' it is our honor to nurture an idea that will grow from the same values we continue applauding and responsibly celebrating after 11 generations of success.
Actor and philanthropist Ian Somerhalder is the face of the competition. Other mentors for the campaign include actor Carlos Ponce and co-founder and CEO of Movember Foundation Adam Garone.
"My fellow mentors and I are honored to lead 'A Gentleman’s Call'” said Adam Garone.
It is a privilege and a true responsibility to guide the next generation of entrepreneurs and help foster an endeavor that will enlighten society’s appreciation for the modern gentleman.


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UK car production has returned to growth driven by an increase in luxury car exports, although they are still well below pre-pandemic levels.
A total of 69,524 vehicles were built in October, up 7.4% from the same month last year, the Association of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
Exports of the latest luxury and most expensive models led last month’s production, with most of it going abroad.
Read more: Real estate demand shifts from buying to renting amid financial uncertainty
More than eight out of every 10 cars built, equaling 56,469 units, are made for export, and more than half of those are destined for the European Union, but also for the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Turkey.
13,055 cars were introduced to the local market.
Mike Howes, CEO of SMMT, said: “A return to growth in UK car production in October is welcome – although production remains significantly below pre-COVID levels amid component supply disruption.
“Getting the sector back on track in 2023 is a priority, given the jobs, exports and economic contribution supported by the automotive industry.
UK production of battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and HEV vehicles also rose, with combined volumes up 20.3% to 24,115 units.
“UK carmakers are doing everything they can to ramp up production of the latest electrified cars, and help achieve net zero, but more favorable conditions for investment are urgently needed – particularly in affordable and sustainable energy and the availability of talent – as part of a supportive framework. auto industry,” Hawes said.
Read more: Black Friday Sale: Which? Detects useless deals to avoid
Richard Pepperdie, head of motors at KPMG, warned that rising energy prices could add pressure on carmakers and “threaten the global competitiveness of the UK car industry”.
Pepperdie added: “The race to be seen as a world leader in electric vehicle production is well under way, and the UK’s position as a manufacturer of cars, vans and parts depends on very significant investment in battery manufacturing and skills.”
“At this point, it is not clear where this will come from.”


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eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - Never underestimate an apple. In addition to the sweet taste, Apples also contain many vitamins, minerals and other elements like phytochemicals, fiber, tannins, baron, tartar acid, and other very necessary for the body to prevent and combat various diseases.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - Believe it or not, eat an apple or pear every day it can cut your risk of stroke by 50 percent. Nutrition experts believe, the content of quercetin compound in both samples the fruit plays an important role in the fight against stroke.
Researchers say, biochemistry is able to reduce inflammation, which is associated with hardening of blood vessels in cardiovascular disease.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - Researchers at the University of Wageningen, the Netherlands, involving about 20,000 adults. They found that volunteers who ate more white fleshy fruit and vegetables have less risk of suffering a stroke more than 10 years. They take into account, the risk of stroke decreased nine percent each consume 25 grams of apples or pears a day.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - Given that the average size of an apple or a pear weigh between 100 grams and 125 grams, that means, in one day will reduce the risk of stroke between 36-45 percent.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - "Consuming large amounts of white fruits and vegetables may be useful in preventing strokes. For example, eating an apple a day is an easy way to increase your intake of white fruit and vegetables, "said Linda Oude Griep, the study's lead author, who published his research in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - "However, the fruits and the other colored vegetables will probably protect you against other chronic diseases. Therefore, it is still important to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, "he added Researchers reveal the existence of the compound quercetin (contrarian stroke) are not only found in apples and pears, but also on the raspberries, tomatoes, red grapes, broccoli, and onions.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - Meanwhile, Dr. Sharlin Ahmed of The Stroke Association said, the main message from these findings to show that fruits and vegetables are good food to reduce the risk of stroke, regardless of color.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY - "It's interesting to see these findings that the white fleshy fruit and vegetables, like apples and pears, can reduce the risk of stroke. However, this should not prevent people to keep eating fruits and vegetables with other colors. Since all kinds of fruits and vegetables has health benefits and remain a vital part of a balanced diet, "he said.
"Everyone can reduce the risk of stroke with a healthy balanced diet low in saturated fat and salt, exercising regularly and make sure that your blood pressure within normal limits," he said.
eat an apple PREVENT STROKE IMPACT DAILY


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Shares of ContextLogic (NASDAQ:WISH) closed higher by 37% following an encouraging note from short seller Citron Research. The news was well-received by shareholders of WISH due to Citron’s usually bearish takes.
The short seller noted after watching the Super Bowl, he now believes that Wish offers the “most assymetrical [sic] opportunity in the market.” He attributes this to the success and introduction of Temu, a subsidiary of Pinduoduo (NASDAQ:PDD), into the U.S. market. Temu was featured in two Super Bowl ads and is also the number-one most-downloaded app on Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) app store.
Citron believes that Temu has led the success of the “surprise discovery e-commerce model,” which Wish can also capitalize on due to its similar business model. Furthermore, despite similar business models, WISH trades at an enterprise value of negative $450 million.
Citron Research Is Bullish on WISH Stock
Citron also lauds Wish’s liquidity. As of Q3, the e-commerce company had $832 million in cash, zero debt and $280 million available through a line of credit. This would mean that the company “likely has multiple years of liquidity available.”
Wish has also added executives from Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Google (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) to its management team. The expertise from these new additions furthers Citron’s thesis that WISH is a great bet.
The company is slated to report its fourth-quarter and full-year results on Feb. 23 after the market close. Citron believes that this will mark a major inflection point for Wish. On average, analysts are expecting revenue of $152.02 million, down by 47.4% year-over-year, and an earnings per share (EPS) loss of 18 cents. ContextLogic reported an EPS loss of nine cents a year ago.
Earlier this month, Wish announced all U.S. customers would be eligible for a flat-rate shipping fee of $2.99 for orders over $10. The rate is currently available for U.S. customers and will be “rolled out in phases” to other markets by the end of March. In the past six months, on-time delivery rates have tallied in at 94%.
Lastly, Citron has disclosed it will soon release a bullish report on Wish.
On Penny Stocks and Low-Volume Stocks: With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. That’s because these “penny stocks” are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand that InvestorPlace.com’s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.
Read More: Penny Stocks — How to Profit Without Getting Scammed
On the date of publication, Eddie Pan held LONG positions in AAPL, AMZN, and GOOGL. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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Weekly Digest Issue No. 554
O2 launches debit card | iPad 2 to launch next week?
O2 launches debit card
Mobile operators are increasingly being forced into re-thinking their revenue streams, as average revenue per user (ARPU) continues to drop and the way consumers use their mobile phone changes, due primarily to the proliferation of smartphones and apps.
Perhaps in a bid to enhance its revenue streams, this week O2 jumped into the financial services market, through the launch of O2 Money, which it's calling a "prepay money card". Users can put EUR20 to EUR350 per day onto the card and use it in ATMs and anywhere that accepts Visa payments, in Ireland, abroad and online. The cards can be topped up either online, in O2 retail stores or at Payzone outlets. The O2 Money card costs EUR4.99 and users will have to pay a fee to top up, ranging from EUR0.80 to EUR2.99, dependent on the top-up amount.
Speaking at the launch of the card, O2 Ireland CEO Stephen Shurrock said: "This first financial services product from O2 marks the start of the convergence of the mobile phone and the wallet, and firmly positions us at the forefront of this trend in Ireland."
This convergence of the mobile phone and the wallet is fast approaching, with many mobile operators around the world planning launches of near-field communications (NFC) enabled devices in the next year or so. NFC is perhaps best known for its ability to enable mobile payments, and has been on the horizon for a couple of years now. In the near term we can look forward to seeing NFC-enabled devices from RIM with its upcoming BlackBerrys, while there are also rumours that the iPad 5 will support NFC.
iPad 2 to launch next week?
Murmurings coming out of Silicon Valley suggest the launch of the iPad 2 could be as soon as next week. An Apple event has been scheduled for 2 March in San Francisco, the home of Apple launch events, and invites for the event have started appearing in inboxes, TechCrunch reports.
The iPad 2 is expected to be thinner and lighter than the original iPad, with a faster processor, more RAM, and a front-facing camera for FaceTime video chat. There's also talk of advanced graphics capabilities to allow playback of high-definition video and 3D graphics.
Talk has been ongoing since the beginning of the year of an April launch for the iPad 2, although in the last few weeks rumours of a delay had begun to circulate. However, judging by reports this week and the news of an Apple event next week, it looks likely we will get to see the iPad 2 sooner rather than later.
Even as industry watchers and Apple fanatics eagerly await the launch of the second-generation iPad, speculation emerged earlier this week that an iPad 3 could well be on the cards for the third quarter of this year. According to Apple Insider, the rumours were sparked by a blog post by John Gruber at Daring Fireball, where he indicated that the release of HP's TouchPad, due in the third quarter, could "bump up against" the iPad 3 launch. Though he has since clarified his comments as "mere guesswork", a later report in TechCrunch said that Apple is planning a "big fall surprise" with the iPad 3.
A third quarter release of a new iPad would fit in with Apple's tradition of releasing a new iPod model just in time for the Christmas season. So far though, iPad 3 speculation remains just that.
Zynga valued at USD10 billion: sources
Interest in the new breed of web 2.0 companies, encompassing social networking, gaming and music, is thriving, with funding rounds and potential IPOs being reported on a regular basis. And this week is no different. It emerged that social networking gaming goliath Zynga, developer of the phenomenally popular Farmville and Cityville, is in talks with group of new investors looking to plough a reported USD500 million into the company, with unnamed sources quoted in Bloomberg valuing the gaming firm at around USD10 billion.
Let's put this valuation into some sort of perspective. A recent funding round valued Facebook at around USD50 billion; Groupon is considering a stock market flotation with a valuation of around USD15 billion; and rumoured Twitter talks involving Facebook and Google, each of which was said to be eyeing an investment in the micro-blogging site, saw Twitter's valuation soar to USD10 billion. These four companies -- Facebook, Twitter, Groupon and Zynga -- are widely considered the 'big four' of the internet sector, but there are plenty other firms poised to whip up massive interest and funding during the year.
All of this activity signals a true changing of the guard within the internet industry, with one-time pioneers like Amazon, Yahoo and even Google, to a certain extent, being eclipsed by these brighter stars. But are these massive valuations an accurate reflection of the overwhelming popularity and potential of these companies, or is there a danger these valuations are severely over-inflated and the sign of another tech industry investment bubble?
Spotify closes in on USD100m funding
Separately this week, Spotify got sucked into the new dotcom frenzy, with news that the music streaming site is said to be close to completing a USD100 million funding round. The funding will come from Russian Facebook investor Digital Sky Technologies (DST), which is reportedly poised to take a 5 percent stake for USD50 million, and Silicon Valley firm Kleiner Perkins, which holds stakes in Twitter and Zynga, will also take a 5 percent stake for USD50 million. The investment values the five-year-old Spotify at USD1 billion.
Any investment it receives will see Spotify try to break the US market. The firm, which was set up in 2006 in Sweden and now has its headquarters in London, has enjoyed relative success in Europe, where it has 10 million people using its ad-free service, and less than 1 million paying for its freemium service. The most recent audited annual accounts for Spotify, for 2009, reveal it lost STG16.6 million in the UK on revenues of STG11.3 million.
Spotify has recently signed deals with EMI and Sony in the US, according to CNet; however, if it is to succeed in the US it will also need to land deals with at least one of the remaining two big four labels -- Universal or Warner. So far there has been no indication that such deals will be reached.


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FX & CFD trading involves significant risk
Japan's national consumer price index (CPI) declined 0.4% in June from a year earlier, following a similar decline in May, the Statistics Bureau said in a report on Friday. It was the fourth consecutive month this so-called core inflation rate had contracted.
Core inflation, which strips away both food and energy, declined 0.5% in the 12 months through June following a 0.4% drop the prior month.
Core CPI inflation in Tokyo, the country's capital and largest city, declined 0.4% in July from a year earlier following an annualized decline of 0.5% the month before.
|remaining time till the new event being published|


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This is one of the ugliest Christmas seasons in recent memories -- and that's the way some clothing retailers want it.
Sales of Christmas sweaters purposely designed to be ugly are looking pretty good at this point, according to the companies that make them.
However, daring fashionistas who want to push the style envelope may want to take the advice of Tricia Eichler, the director of merchandising at AllPosters.com, which sells T-shirts that look like ugly Christmas sweaters, but without the itch.
"If you really want to be a maverick of ugly Christmas sweaters, wear one for Christmas in July," she told HuffPost. "Now that’s true pioneering."


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(CNN) -- Jeep could drop a name synonymous with its brand.
Jeep's new boss says the company is open to dropping "Cherokee" from its vehicles.
The consideration is in response to objections from the Cherokee Nation. The company is engaging with officials from the Native American tribe.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the companies best-selling models. It was first used on a Jeep SUV in 1974.


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Russian Ambassador Touts Historical Ties to Attract Bulgarian BusinessesDiplomacy | March 2, 2013, Saturday // 14:51| views
Russian Ambassador Yuriy Isakov. File photo
The "large Russian market" is open for the produce of Bulgarian SMEs, Russian Ambassador in Sofia Yuriy Isakov has stated.
"It's no secret that more than 20 years after the breakup of the COMECON and the transition of our economies towards market principles, many Russians still have good memories of quality Bulgarian goods," His Excellency said Saturday, as quoted by Focus.
In his words, the quality Bulgarian goods in question were tomatoes, peppers, wine, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, etc.
"Unfortunately, under the influence of new economic and political realities: Bulgaria's orientation towards the EU consumers, the changing orientation of Russian suppliers, and the disappearance of many Bulgarian goods, exports to Russia have dwindled," Isakov noted.
To rectify this, he suggested that both Bulgaria and Russia need to exert efforts to boost their trade.
The ambassador praised the effects of the railway Black Sea ferry boat line between Bulgaria's Varna and Russia's Port Kavkaz which has been operating for three years, allowing direct trade between Bulgaria and Russia.
According to Isakov, Russia's recent accession to the World Trade Organization opens new opportunities for Bulgarian-Russian trade.
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Canadian Cannabis company, Hexo Corp., HEXO, -3.26% HEXO, -2.96%, has seen bad days as shares slipped 0.5% on pre-trading for Thursday after the company fell short of the expectations for their third-quarter loss but net revenue that came up short.
The net loss for the quarter to April 30 was C$7.75 million ($5.82 million), or 4 cents a share, after a loss of C$1.97 million, or 1 cent a share, in the year-ago period. The FactSet consensus was for a loss of 5 cents. Net revenue jumped to C$13.02 million from C$1.24 million, below the FactSet net sales consensus of C$14.8 million. The average gross selling price of an adult-use dried gram and gram equivalents was C$5.29 as of April 30, down from C$5.83 at the end of January, while kilograms sold of adult use grew to 2,759 from 2,537.
“We have taken significant steps in ensuring that we are adequately poised to meet the future demand of the CBD derivative product markets within Canada and globally. This includes having secured a large and steady supply of quality hemp for product transformation at our in-progress Belleville facility. We are in the process of obtaining technology to clean outdoor field hemp of harmful pesticides, which we believe gives us an edge in bringing quality extracts to the US,” said a press release from the company to assure investors of their growth.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company announced HEXO as the adult-use brand name that will serve the legalized Canadian adult-use market. The goal of HEXO is to continue to offer a premium house of brands, signaling innovation, quality and consistency of experience, and become a top two Canadian market share brand and obtain a 10% minimum international market share in the US, Europe and Mexico. As a brand, HEXO shares the same focus on award-winning product innovation and high-quality cannabis that the market has come to expect from its former medical sister brand, Hydropothecary.


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Hardware News Archives
Cavium has announced their "ThunderX" SoC family during Computex this week as "the world's highest performing and power optimized 64-bit ARM-based server SoC." The Cavium ThunderX has 48 ARMv8 cores!
5 June 2014 - ARM HPC - 9 Comments
As I've expressed on Twitter and in a past article I've run into some tough times recently with the ASUS Zenbook UX301LAA ultrabook under Linux. ASUS wasn't of much help and after further system reboots, the issue appears to be heat-related with this Intel Haswell ultrabook.
3 June 2014 - ASUS Zenbook - 56 Comments
VESA has released the DockPort standard today from Computex that's an extension of the DisplayPort interface and allows for USB data and power charging capabilities as a royalty-free, industry standard.
2 June 2014 - DockPort - 23 Comments
With Computex Taipei happening this week and the Tizen Developer Conference starting tomorrow in San Francisco, Samsung has finally announced their first Tizen smartphone. The Samsung Z is this forthcoming Tizen phone.
2 June 2014 - Samsung Z - 62 Comments
The design files to the Pandora Linux gaming handheld computer is now open-sourced for non-commercial use.
1 June 2014 - OpenPandora - 12 Comments
This morning I shared the list of the 60+ graphics cards being tested under Linux for a set of very interesting articles coming up in the days ahead in this massive Linux graphics comparison in celebration of Phoronix.com's 10th birthday next week. While all of the graphics cards were tried, with the open-source drivers there were notable failures with both the AMD Radeon and Nouveau drivers.
31 May 2014 - Notes - 50 Comments
There's some very interesting tests that will be published on Phoronix in the next few days... Including the results from testing 65 different graphics cards under Linux with varying software stacks.
31 May 2014 - Comparison - 13 Comments
As many Phoronix readers will recall, I switched from a Retina MacBook Pro to an ASUS Zenbook Prime ultrabook. After overcoming some issues, the setup was nice, but I'm already having some regrets and issues.
28 May 2014 - ASUS Zenbook - 68 Comments
An open-source Thunderbolt driver for supporting Apple MacBooks might be added to the Linux 3.16 kernel.
26 May 2014 - Linux 3.16 - 1 Comment
Earlier this month I wrote about it looking like the Mer-powered Improv ARM board will not ship and now it's even more clear about the libre hardware project's dire situation with just open fights going on between the project and its former hardware supplier.
24 May 2014 - Improv - 18 Comments
Complementing BCache, Flashcache, and DM-Cache, the Logical Volume Manager (LVM) has another new cache method for Linux systems.
23 May 2014 - LVM - 1 Comment
The Neo900 project remains an effort to provide a motherboard replacement for the once-popular Nokia N900 smart-phone while carrying on the tradition of the OpenMoko project.
22 May 2014 - Neo900 - 15 Comments
After writing recently about the PowerTOP 2.6 release and mentioning that some new power consumption/efficiency tests were in the works at Phoronix, a few readers wrote in asking about other ways to extend their battery life under Linux.
21 May 2014 - Battery - 15 Comments
For many weeks now David Airlie at Red Hat has been working on DisplayPort MST (Multi-Stream Transport) for the open-source Linux graphics stack while this code is now getting into shape.
21 May 2014 - Multi-Stream Transport
Linux kernel developer Matthew Garrett is out with a new blog post to end out the weekend. This latest post isn't about Linux UEFI problems or the like, but his observations from the OpenStack Summit about the most popular laptop vendor being Apple even though OpenStack is mostly about Linux deployments...
19 May 2014 - Developer Experience - 241 Comments
One of the newest laptops out of System76, the well known hardware vendor in Linux circles for their Ubuntu support, is the latest version of their Bonobo Extreme. While the laptop weighs 8.6 lbs / 3.9 kg, it does aim to offer extreme Linux performance.
15 May 2014 - Extreme Linux - 11 Comments
The VESA association has added "Adaptive-Sync" to the DisplayPort 1.2a video interface specification. Adaptive-Sync is a vendor-neutral way of having a dynamic/adaptive refresh-rate and similar to NVIDIA's G-Sync.
12 May 2014 - Adaptive-Sync - 19 Comments
Back in the middle of April I wrote about the Improv ARM development board not yet shipping and many of the early pre-order customers being frustrated that the open-source-friendly hardware still isn't shipping months past its original ship date. Since then, there's still been no official update and it looks like one of their suppliers isn't even working with them anymore.
7 May 2014 - Improv - 6 Comments
In June we should start seeing the Allwinner A80-based hardware designs hitting the market for a much needed performance boost for Allwinner SoCs.
5 May 2014 - Allwinner A80 - 17 Comments
The work by David Airlie of Red Hat's DisplayPort Multi-Stream Transport is beginning to show success.
3 May 2014 - DisplayPort MST - 8 Comments
Latest Linux Hardware Reviews
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This year’s Consumer Electronics Show saw a deluge of ultrabooks. Samsung was one of the vendors that unveiled their ultrabook contenders at the event. But not only did it unveil the Series 5 ultrabook back then, it also used the opportunity to announce the second generation Series 9 ultra-thin and light notebook. The latter is now available for pre-order online. Hit the jump for more.
Dell today announced the launch of its Sandy bridge-powered XPS 15z ultra-thin laptop. Touting the now defunct Adamo’s spiritual successor as the thinnest 15-inch PC in the world, the company announced that the XPS 15z is the “first in a series of new thin, ultra-powerful laptops from Dell this year.” Let’s hope that the new series does not share the same fate as the Adamo. And on that optimistic note, let’s just hit the jump and see what the specs have to say.
A CNET report on Tuesday revealed that a spiritual successor to the now discontinued Dell Adamo ultra-thin laptop is in the works and fast approaching its retail debut. The first pictures of that rumored Adamo successor, supposedly called XPS 15z, seem to have already found their way to the Internet. Those pictures of the XPS 15z and other details are waiting for you across the jump.


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Your business depends on keeping data secure. And this counts double for sensitive financial information.
It’s normally big companies that make the news when they have a data breach, but cybercriminals are targeting small businesses like yours as well.
Research indicates that 40% of cyber attacks in 2017 were targeted at small businesses and this is increasing.
Most small businesses can’t afford advanced in-house data security systems.


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BMW: We're Not Working With Tesla On Anything
Were you hoping BMW and Tesla would join forces for the future of electrification? Not so fast.
Uber Hitting E-Class Taxi Roadblock In Germany
Uber is having a hard time breaking into the German livery market, and not just for its business model.
EU Orders Germany To Cease Use Of R134a Within Two Months
After months of investigation regarding the German government’s support of Daimler’s continued use of R134a — in violation of a law mandating use of refrigerants “with a global warming potential no more than 150 times that of carbon dioxide” — the European Commission has given Germany two months to comply with the law, or be fined and taken to court.
German Government Unveils Bill To Spur ZEV Adoption
Should you happen to call Germany home and are shopping for a car, the government would like to offer you free parking, tax exemptions for 10 years, and bus-lane privileges if you purchase an EV, FCV or PHEV.
Opel Reaches Severance Deal With Bochum Workers
General Motors subsidiary Opel has come to terms on a severance package for workers at its Bochum factory, set to close this year as part of the company’s restructuring plan.
European-Backed UN Amendment Brings Autonomous Vehicle Future Closer
While autonomous vehicles are still in the early stages of testing, a few of the European members of the United Nations have laid the groundwork for the self-driven future to come sooner than later.
Stuttgart Prosecutors Call For Appeal In Wiedeking Market Manipulation Ruling
Two weeks after the Stuttgart Regional Court threw-out charges of market manipulation levied at former Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking in December of 2012, prosecutors have called for an appeal of said ruling.
BAIC, Siemens Team Up For Green Joint Venture In Beijing
Though Siemens won’t be putting their name upon the body of BAIC C70G for a DTM entry anytime soon, the Chinese automaker and German industrial giant will come together for an green vehicle-related joint venture in Beijing.
ZF's 9-Speed 9HP Transmission Puts Dog Clutches On The Leash
In a week we will post our first full review of the all-new and all-controversial 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The new Jeep isn’t just raising eyebrows for the love-it or hate-it styling. Or the resurrection of the Cherokee badge. Or the constant delays in production. Or the transverse mounted engine. Or the lack of solid axles. None of that laundry list seems to cause as much discussion around the automotive water cooler than ZF’s 9HP 9-speed transmission. Click past the jump for a deep dive into the tranny with more speeds than my bicycle. If you don’t want to explore transmissions in detail, don’t click. You have been warned.
Europe Finally Turning Around? German Registrations Up 7%, Sales Also Rise in France, Spain, Italy
The European automobile market may be pulling out of its six year sales slump, according to Automotive News, with new car registrations in Germany up 7% in January from last year, joined by France, Italy and Spain reporting year to year increases for the month. German new car sales for the month were 206,000, the third monthly gain out of the past four months and the best monthly percentage improvement since September 2011. Analysts caution, though, that the growth in the German market was in part due to discounting.
However, industry executives and analysts warned that underlying demand may not be robust as Germany’s growth was in part attributable to generous price discounts. Ernst-Robert Nouvertne, who operates two Volkswagen stores near Cologne, said “Incentives are the name of the game. Headline sales are looking good but profit per car is crumbling. The (German) market is still pretty strained.”
Audi Invests In Synthetic Gasoline From Sugar
Audi’s bio-fuel initiative is expanding into France through an investment by the automaker to Global Bioenergies, whose bio-isooctane could be the replacement for petroleum gasoline when the time comes to make the switch.
Hamburg to Ban Cars From City Center By 2034
Germany’s presence in the motoring landscape is enormous, from the ongoing ‘Ring Time contests between the world’s automakers and their halo cars, to the famed Autobahn that connects Nürburg — and other cities in the country — with each other. Yet, the nation’s second-largest city, Hamburg, will eliminate Porsches, BMWs and Fords from its city center by 2034, when its car ban goes in effect.
Supply Chain Bottleneck Due In Five Years According to Study
Bottlenecks are bad things to experience. Around 70,000 years ago, the Toba supervolcano eruption reduced humanity to anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 breeding pairs — thus creating a genetic bottleneck — alongside a global cooling event concurrent with the Last Glacial Period.
For automakers in the United States and their North American supply chain, their Toba event is coming.
Review: 2014 Lexus IS250 (With Video)
After taking a sales hit due to tsunami-related production woes, Lexus has been trying to regain their mojo with a new product offensive. Things started out with the new Lexus GS sedan that Jack Baruth and I loved on and off the track, followed by a revised RX. With the redesigned IS, the bulk of their lineup has been overhauled. Initially, I was a little concerned that the Lexus IS sedan would receive nothing more than a new nose and some LED lights for 2014 but the Japanese 3-Series fighter came out swinging when we were invited to the launch event earlier in the year. I came away impressed with the IS 350’s road manners, but most buyers will be shopping for the less powerful IS 250 and it’s taken us this long to get our hands on one.
Elon Musk: "A Fuel Cell Is So…"
Speaking to Tesla enthusiasts at a Tesla service center in Germany, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk insisted that batteries made more sense for powering electric vehicles than hydrogen fuel cells, calling them “bullshit” and saying that hydrogen isn’t safe to use as an automotive fuel.


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ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — 3 Doors Down is bringing its The Better Life 20th Anniversary Tour with Seether to the Walmart AMP in Rogers on Friday, September 24.
To mark the 20th anniversary of its debut album, which included the hit song “Kryptonite,” the group will perform The Better Life for the very first time from front-to-back, along with other hits.
Tickets go on sale on Friday, June 4, at 10 a.m.
You can purchase tickets by calling (479) 443-5600, visiting www.amptickets.com, or in-person at the Walmart AMP box Office.


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Our number-one priority is to keep our family and pets safe, but we also have some valuable possessions and important documents that we want to protect from a storm, flood or even a fire. Master Lock’s SentrySafe products help in this regard, especially the SentrySafe SFW123TTC Extra Large Digital Alarm Fire Safe. With many premium features, such as a hidden keypad, a loud audible alarm, and theft-deterring technology, this product provides powerful protection against a fire or flood. Watch the video I created below for some of the safe’s features.
Our family owns a SentrySafe SFW123TTC Extra Large Digital Alarm Fire Safe, and I must say that this is one tough product! My husband and I have peace of mind in knowing that if a hurricane comes our way, our important documents and family treasures are as safe as they can be.
“For Everything Worth Protecting” Twitter Sweepstakes
(Hosted by @MasterLockUS)
(Hosted by @MasterLockUS)
While Master Lock products help keep your prized possessions protected when disaster hits, American Red Cross is a relief effort that supports families when disaster has struck. A natural partnership, Master Lock is in its third year of supporting the urgent needs of the American Red Cross mission and is kicking off their “For Everything Worth Protecting” Twitter sweepstakes this August to raise funds and awareness for the American Red Cross.
Master Lock will ask consumers via Twitter to share what possession they’d most like to save or protect in case of a natural disaster. For every tweet posted with the hashtag #MasterLockProtectsSweeps, a $1 donation will be made to the American Red Cross -- up to $10,000.
Sweepstakes and Donation
Starting August 16 through August 31, participants who tweet their reply to “What possession would you protect or save in a natural disaster?” using #MasterLockProtectsSweeps will generate a $1 donation to the American Red Cross and will be entered for the chance to win one of 5 prize bundles. Each winner will receive a $75 Visa gift card, a SentrySafe and American Red Cross Preparedness Kit to help them be prepared in case of fire or flood.
Master Lock will donate an initial $10,000 to the American Red Cross and will donate up to an additional $10,000 based on consumer participation in the sweepstakes. Master Lock’s donation will support the urgent needs of the American Red Cross mission, whether it is responding to a disaster, collecting lifesaving blood, teaching skills to save a life, or assisting military members and their families during emergencies. This marks the third Twitter sweepstakes that Master Lock has hosted to benefit the American Red Cross
Five (5) grand prizes are available to win. The prizes consist of the following:
• $75 Visa Gift Card
• SentrySafe Extra Large Digital Fire Safe SFW123TTC
• Red Cross Emergency Preparedness Kit
ARV of the Grand Prize: $300 USD.
I hope you’ll join Master Lock in supporting the American Red Cross, and be sure to pick up a SentrySafe Digital Alarm Fire Safe to help protect your family’s valuables during a natural disaster.
Disclosure: As a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad, I receive compensation and product samples to facilitate my posts.


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U.S.- China Trade War on Ceasefire
China’s Ministry of Commerce said this Sunday it is aware that the U.S. is considering a visit to Beijing to negotiate economic and trade issues and welcomes such a move. Both sides this weekend said they had agreed to not impose new tariffs on one another while talks continue, after reaching an initial agreement on trade. A visit by the U.S. Treasury secretary to China could signal a breakthrough in the spat between the world’s two-biggest economies, whose threats to slap tariffs on each other have rattled markets and raised fears of a trade war. It would come at a sensitive time for the region’s geopolitics, with negotiations under way on a planned meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.
Mnuchin said the countries have agreed on a trade framework — though there aren’t many details. Mnuchin indicated he’s involved in a “dialogue” with the Chinese government to resolve the trade dispute. “We’re cautiously optimistic to see if we can try to reach an agreement,” he said. The joint announcement released Saturday did not put a dollar amount on China’s commitment to increase purchases. The pledge for more cooperation comes as the US and China, the world’s two largest economies, have threatened tens of billions of dollars in tariffs that could lead to a trade war. In a joint statement on Saturday, the countries said China would “significantly increase” purchases of US goods and services to reduce their trade imbalance.
This was a top demand of the Trump administration during two days of trade talks in Washington with Chinese officials. “We’re putting the trade war on hold,” US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said “We have agreed to put the tariffs on hold while we try to execute the framework.” China has agreed to buy more US agricultural and energy products to help narrow a record bilateral trade deficit, addressing a key demand US President Donald Trump has pursued since announcing punitive tariffs threatening to push the two countries into an all-out trade war.
Tensions have been escalating as Trump accuses China of unfair trade and presses for a reduction in the U.S.’s $375 billion trade deficit with the Asian nation. It was last Saturday that the U.S. president tweeted he’s working with Chinese President Xi Jinping to help Chinese state-controlled phone and telecom equipment maker ZTE (ZTCOF) get back into business, adding the “Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!” ZTE halted its main operations after the Trump administration banned American companies from selling it vital product components. The US said that ZTE had lied to American officials about punishing employees who violated US sanctions against North Korea and Iran. The president is threatening to impose tariffs on as much as $150 billion on Chinese imports to punish the nation for alleged intellectual property theft. If the U.S. follows through, China has vowed to impose retaliatory tariffs on everything from American airplanes to soybeans.


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First quarter GDP unchanged at a robust annual rate of 6.4%
WASHINGTON – The US economy grew at a robust 6.4% annual rate in the first three months of this year, unchanged from the government’s initial estimate. The recovery from last year’s deep recession gathered pace early this year, helped by vaccines to fight the virus and billions of dollars in government aid.
The rise in gross domestic product, the economy’s total output of goods and services, was the same as that announced by the government a month ago, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Upward revisions to consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of economic activity, were offset by weaker export growth.
Economists believe GDP growth could exceed 10% in the current April-June quarter.
“When given the opportunity to spend safely, consumers have the will and the desire to do so,” said Lydia Boussour, chief US economist for Oxford Economics.
Boussour said she expects GDP in the current April-June period to be around 13% and that the gains this quarter will allow the economy to recover all the output lost during the recession. . With the first-quarter advance, GDP is only 0.9% below the level of the fourth quarter of 2019, before the country’s longest economic expansion ended in the first quarter of 2020.
Many economists expect the economy to grow between 6% and 7% this year, which would be the best performance since a 7.2% rise in 1984, another year when the economy was recovering from a deep recession. But Oxford Economics predicts growth this year of around 7.7%. That would be the biggest annual gain since 1951.
The 6.4% performance in the first quarter represented an improvement after GDP growth slowed to a rate of 4.3% in the last three months of last year, a period when the increase in cases coronavirus and declining government support have raised fears that the country could slide back into recession.
But the passage of nearly $3 trillion in additional government support in December and March, along with the widespread introduction of vaccines, has allowed thousands of businesses to reopen and millions of people back to work.
Thursday’s report was the second of three government looks at first-quarter GDP performance.
It showed that consumer spending grew at a blistering 11.3% annual rate, even better than the 10.7% estimate made a month ago. Business investment spending also increased and residential construction, which has performed exceptionally well over the past two years, rose 12.7% year-on-year, better than the 10.8% gain initially estimated. .
However, these areas of stronger growth were offset by weak export sales to the United States, which fell at an annual rate of 2.9%, higher than the 1.1% rate of decline recorded there. a month ago.
As exports fell, imports rose, with the US economy emerging from the pandemic recession faster than many other parts of the world.
With strong demand from US consumers, imports grew at an annual rate of 6.7% in the first quarter. The trade deficit, the gap between imports and exports, widened in the first quarter and subtracted 1.2 percentage points from overall growth.
Business inventories were also reduced in the first quarter as businesses were unable to meet rising demand. Falling inventories subtracted 2.788 percentage points from first-quarter growth. However, that should translate into stronger growth in the second quarter as businesses scramble to restock empty store shelves.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.


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Motorola Mobile Phones to receive movies from Blockbuster
Great news if you own a Motorola Mobile phone as Blockbuster have announced that they plan to offer movies that can be watched on Motorola Inc cell phones.
Very few details have been released about the plan, which expands on the company’s On Demand downloading movie service offered through set-top boxes. According to Kevin Lewis senior vice president for Blockbuster the company is still working on specifics, including availability and cost.
Television series may also be available together with new releases. It appears that customers will be able to download the videos to their phones, meaning that movies wont be cut off without a cell phone service. Blockbuster joins a ever growing market of offering video services on cell phones. Source – tech.yahoo.com


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As evidenced by recent layoffs and scaled-back expansions, on-demand delivery is a challenging space. Brands, retailers and operators push to deliver with maximum efficiency, a strategy that’s l
Varos is shedding some light on how companies compare in terms of key performance indicators, like customer acquisition costs.
When Ibex Investors founder and CEO Justin Borus looks at the transportation industry — and the technological changes that are coming — he sees one of the biggest opportunities in a lifetime. And
As rail systems undergo a digital revolution and become far more connected and advanced, railway operators face a rapidly growing threat landscape. To combat this, railway companies demand more robust
If you’re reading this, there’s a pretty good chance you have a LinkedIn profile with your digital resume and hundreds — if not thousands — of professional connections. But how many of
Artificial intelligence has become a fundamental cornerstone of how a lot of business software works, providing a useful boost in reading, understanding and using the often-fragmented trove of data th
In less than two years, Revel has gone from an idea to a shared electric vehicle startup with more than 1,400 mopeds across Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn and Queens, New York. Now, it’s ready t


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The wait is almost over and Apple’s management and its legion of fans should soon breathe a collective sigh of relief once the tech giant’s latest product line is revealed.
There will be a couple of iPhone models -- with bigger screens -- on offer and the long-awaited 'iWatch' may also make an appearance. There’s even talk of a golden iPad.
But the new devices may well be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Apple flexing its muscles as a key disruptor. Apple doesn’t pay much heed to detractors bemoaning that the tech giant has lost its innovation edge, but the launch of the iPhone 6 is likely to set the scene for Apple boss Tim Cook to finally reveal a play that could have a major impact on the payments industry. The ramifications of this could extend far beyond just how we shop.
Apple is expected to announce its jump into the payments industry and this supposed payments revolution (via the so-called iWallet) is going to be more than just belated support of NFC (near field communications) for mobile payments.
Putting all the pieces in place
NFC technology has been around for some time but Apple has so far given it wide berth. Integrating the technology that allows two devices to transfer encrypted data at short range using radio waves has never been a problem for Apple, but the reluctance has always hinged on two factors - the overall NFC experience has been mixed for consumers and more importantly, tying in NFC to Apple’s unified world view required a lot of hard work.
Tim Cook and his team have obviously spend the last year assiduously putting together the pieces together and the flurry of agreements signed with credit card companies and retailers would suggest that the stars are finally in alignment for Apple.
Apart from the reported deals with Visa, MasterCard and American Express, Apple has also locked in deals with retailers, with department store Nordstrom and US pharmacy chains CVS Health and Walgreens.
If Apple is about to embark on an operation to install NFC sensors across bricks-and–mortar stores then we just might be at the cusp of seeing the launch of a global mobile payments platform: one that has enormous scale, the right mix of hardware and software prowess, and brand cachet to lure consumers and merchants.
With almost 800 million credit cards on file, Apple is already where it needs to be with regards to its consumer base. It has supposedly got the payment processors onside as well. But winning over merchants will be the key challenge.
Forrester Research senior analyst Denée Carrington says that the road to digital wallet heaven is littered with notable train wrecks.
Carrington notes that with iPhone users already leading the way with faster adoption of mobile payments and commerce, Apple can leverage its design chops to give customers a compelling experience.
“But motivated consumers must have someplace to use the wallet. Actually, not just “someplace,” but a great many places where early adopters shop or spend with regularity,” she said in a post.
“The expensive lessons of Google Wallet, Square Wallet, and Visa’s V.me illustrate that even with strong brand awareness and deep pockets, a merchant’s control over its checkout experience will directly affect a wallet’s success.”
It’s a pertinent point. Success in the mobile payments hinges on not just giving customers value but also ensuring that merchants are looked after.
According to Carrington, Apple’s wallet will have to deliver a compelling merchant value proposition (like lowering a merchant’s operational costs or helping to drive more revenue) in order to win acceptance and preference at checkout.
“The good news is that Apple is uniquely positioned to do just that. Unlike other digital wallet providers, Apple is a merchant itself, and has both credibility and experience in successfully integrating mobile payments that likely lower costs with faster throughput, and drive greater revenue in its own stores,” she said.
“In addition, iBeacon and Passbook -- two features widely rumored to be integrated into Apple's wallet -- are specifically designed to provide value to merchants by helping them more effectively engage with their customers.”
NFC potential: Payments are just the start
For those involved in the world of NFC, Apple’s integration of the technology will deliver a much-needed stamp of authority.
According to Ovum principal analyst Eden Zoller, Apple has been putting the pieces in place for a fully-fledged mobile payments service for some time. Passbook, Touch ID biometrics, the iBeacon feature in iOS 7, and the EasyPay feature in the Apple App Store application have all been incremental steps on the road to the iWallet.
If Apple can effectively market NFC capabilities to consumers, then merchant interest is likely to follow. There’s a conceptual branding process that is associated with every Apple product and, whether justified or not, the Apple Kool-Aid really does get consumers talking.
For Jamie Conyngham, co-founder and chief executive of Tapit, a technology platform which leverages a range of contactless technologies, Apple’s NFC ambitions may well extend beyond payments.
“NFC can be so much more than payments,” Conyngham says. Paying for items could be the first step in changing customer behaviour around contactless interaction.
“Once people get comfortable paying through NFC, they then slowly start exploring what else they can do with the technology.”
At its heart, NFC technology seeks to change engagement dynamics, becoming a bridge between the physical world and the digital one.
The potential of this in the age of the Internet of Things (IoT) is immense. The idea of your iWallet tied into your smart meter at home, with a smartphone or a smartwatch acting as the point of interface is exactly the sort of unified ecosystem play that Apple wants.
From payments, to ticketing, to advertising contactless technology is about to get a massive boost and Apple may want to be architect of the platform within which the key players choose to interact.
Minting coin from mobile payments
The iPhone 6 and the iWatch may be about to disrupt the entire point of sale proposition for merchants, but even if Apple is successful in becoming the new middleman in the payments process, it’s unlikely to be minting a lot of coin from the endeavour in the short-term.
Instead, any prospective payments play is likely to have a more immediate impact on Apple’s core business: selling lots of high-priced devices to lots of consumers.
Changing the playing field in the payments business has to be a slow burn for Apple, simply because the process of settling a payment usually involves multiple players taking a little clip.
Apple’s long-term strategy may be to become the primary operator in the ecosystem inhabited by credit card companies, banks, settlement services and security outfits but that will take time. For now, it is unlikely to deliver a deluge of revenue.
But the immediate gain of arming its latest iPhone and the smartwatch with a fully fledged and compelling mobile payments system may bring its own rewards.


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The custom-built solutions by Volvo and Delhivery are claimed to enhance the efficiency of the Express cargo movement through trailers of higher capacities of around 93 cum that can maintain an average running of over 20 hours a day and 3,00,000 km in a year.
Volvo Trucks has announced its partnership with Delhivery under which the two companies have come together to test and deploy an articulated Volvo FM 4×2 solution for express operations. The said solution will not only address the challenges of speedy delivery but will also ensure the cost efficiencies of services. The solution also ensures faster turn-around time along with a higher uptime of the trucks, safer and comfortable trucks that will enable the drivers to deliver better productivity. Volvo said in a press statement that these trucks run on the European roads which are considered to be some of the most efficient logistic systems in the world and the company is customising them for Indian conditions. These custom-built solutions by Volvo and Delhivery are claimed to enhance the efficiency of the Express cargo movement through trailers of higher capacities of around 93 cum that can maintain an average running of over 20 hours a day and 3,00,000 km in a year.
Volvo and Delhivery believe that these tractor-trailers will revolutionise the industry by delivering efficiency and productivity which is over double compared to the current range of tractors in India. Volvo says that the logistics industry needs trucks that will set benchmarks in vehicle uptime, reliability, load-carrying capacity and running km per year in order to meet demands of the e-commerce business. Delhivery operates one of the largest surface fleet networks in India across 17,500+ pin codes and 2300+ cities, towns, and villages daily. Our trucks cover over 500,000 Km across the country daily.
Commenting on the latest development, Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director & CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd said that the turn-around and efficiency is the focus in these trucks. He added that the Volvo FM 4×2 solution has a comfortable cabin along with a superior clutch free driveline, that enables effortlessly driving for about 20 hours with a set of drivers. Aggarwal also stated that the telematics further ensures that exhaustive data is captured, analysed and correction happens throughout the truck’s journey. The reduced delivery time helps customers to fulfill their business goal of delivery to their customers in the shortest possible time, reducing order cancellations.
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Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw has taken to her IG page to share her experience at a Lekki supermart, earlier today.
According to the actress, that Nigerians are currently buying stuff astronomically at a supermarket she visited due to coronavirus fears.
In her words;
She wrote: “I strongly believe we need a state of the nation address. We need detailed information 4rm the relevant authorities as to the level of preparedness for the days ahead. I just left a major supermarket in Lekki and the buying of stuff is astronomical. Nigerians are worried!!”
Just yesterday, the FG confirmed 5 new cases of the coronavirus.


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Flame VS Blaze Global Debut Trailer
Square Enix announces that its upcoming MOBA-style mobile game, Flame Vs Blaze, will launch in 2017.
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INDIANAPOLIS — The company that owns Kotex has issued a voluntary recall of its U by Kotex Sleek tampons because of a quality-related defect that could lead to the tampons unraveling and pieces being left behind in the body.
Kimberly-Clark Corp. says they have received reports of the tampons unraveling or coming apart when they're removed and some users have had to seek medical attention to remove the tampon from their body. They have also received reports of a small number of infections, irritations, injuries and other symptoms from the tampon's defectiveness.
The recall affects lots of U by Kotex Sleek Tampons, Regular Absorbency that were manufactured prior to October 16, 2018.
You can check to see if the box of tampons you have is part of the recall by using the "Lot # Checker" at the ubykotex.com.
To return your affected product contact Kimberly-Clark's Consumer Service team at 1-888-255-3499.
We announced today a voluntary recall of U by Kotex® Sleek® Tampons, Regular Absorbency sold in the U.S. & Canada for a quality-related defect that could impact the product performance. For info, please read our FAQs: https://t.co/Rcju7TMumQ or contact us: https://t.co/bgd4GmSGv5
— Kimberly-Clark Corp. (@KCCorp) December 11, 2018
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